Christmas Shoes
by Mew-Sahara
Summary: Fate intertwines the lives of many people. Pudding and Keiichiro soon learn this. Christmas Fic. Pudding Keiichiro Friendship.


**Hi! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! This little Christmas fic is dedicated to TRICKxORxTREAT for helping me with ideas. No, she didn't give me this idea, but she helped me think. And so, with the help of a radio, the idea for Christmas Shoes was born. Sorry if this is OOC. And yes, I don't think that they celebrate Christmas in Japan. But I don't know. And yes, they don't use pennies they use yen. Sorry about that. I couldn't change the currency in Japan overnight.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the song Christmas Shoes or Tokyo Mew Mew. **

"Blah": speaking

'Blah': thinking

_**blah**: _song lyrics

**---**

Keiichiro knew that fate was an odd thing. It brought people together in ways that people could never imagine. But, fate decided to bring him closer to people he knew as well.

---

"Keiichiro, I know this is a stupid question… But did you ever have an experience that changed your life? That made you look at life differently?" asked Ryou.

"Yes. Yes I did. It was around Christmas time. Actually it was Christmas Eve here in Tokyo a few years ago. It helped me think about the true meaning of Christmas. I'll tell you all about it…"

---

Pudding had washed the kitchen from top to bottom, and ended up staying after work. As she walked into the main kitchen area, she heard Keiichiro begin his tale…

---

_**It was almost Christmas time, there I stood in another line.**_

_**Tryin' to buy that last gift or two, not really in the Christmas mood.**_

_**Standing right in front of me was a little boy waiting anxiously.**_

_**Pacing 'round like little boys do,**_

_**And in his hands he held a pair of shoes.**_

_**And his clothes were worn and old, **_

_**He was dirty from head to toe.**_

_**And when it came his time to pay,**_

_**I couldn't believe what I heard him say.**_

_**Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please.**_

_**It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size.**_

_**Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time.**_

_**You see she's been sick for quite a while,**_

_**And I know these shoes will make her smile.**_

_**And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight.**_

_**He counted pennies for what seemed like years.**_

_**Then the cashier said, "Son, there's not enough here."**_

_**He searched his pockets frantically.**_

_**Then he turned and he looked at me.**_

_**He said Mama made Christmas good at our house,**_

_**Though most years she just did without.**_

_**Tell me Sir, what am I going to do,**_

_**Somehow I've got to buy her these Christmas shoes.**_

_**So I laid the money down, I just had to help him out.**_

_**And I'll never forget the look on his face when he said,**_

_**Mama's gonna look so great.**_

_**Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please.**_

_**It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size.**_

_**Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time.**_

_**You see she's been sick for quite a while,**_

_**And I know these shoes will make her smile.**_

_**And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight.**_

_**I knew I'd caught a glimpse of heaven's love.**_

_**As he thanked me and ran out.**_

_**I knew that God had sent that little boy,**_

_**To remind me, what Christmas is all about.**_

_**Sir, I wanna buy these shoes for my Momma please.**_

_**It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size.**_

_**Could you hurry Sir?**_

_**Daddy says there's not much time.**_

_**You see she's been sick for quite a while,**_

_**And I know these shoes will make her smile.**_

_**And I want her to look beautiful,**_

_**If Momma meets Jesus tonight.**_

_**I want her to look beautiful**_

_**If Momma meets Jesus tonight**._

---

Ryou slowly nodded. "That's a nice story."

Keiichiro smiled. "I know, isn't it?"

They both turned around at the sound of a sob coming from behind them. Keiichiro saw a small flash of yellow disappear around the corner. Ryou passed Keiichiro a look. "I'll take care of it," Keiichiro said, standing up. Ryou nodded again.

"I'll be in the basement then," he said, also rising.

Keiichiro walked until he came to the girls' employee changing room. He heard sobs coming from in there. He was right. It was Pudding. She must have heard him talking after she stayed to clean. But why was she crying?

He quickly backed away as the door opened and a changed Pudding appeared. She was wearing her regular orange Chinese outfit. Her eyes, which were full of tears, widened as she looked up at Keiichiro. Her hands flew to her face, quickly wiping away the tears. "I'm sorry na no da," she said, muffled by her arm.

Keiichiro spoke softly to her. "Why were you crying, Pudding-chan?"

She looked up at him sadly. "When you were telling your story, that little boy that you met na no da. He's my brother na no da. I must not have given him enough money to buy the shoes… Momma died a few days later na no da. I'm sure she was happy though, na no da. Thank you for helping making her happy na no da."

Keiichiro's eyes widened now. 'Fate really does bring people together.' He put his hand on top of her head. "No, thank you. Your brother taught me about the Christmas sprit. That's pay enough."

Pudding buried her face in his chest and let out a sob. "Thank you na no da! Thank you na no da!" she sobbed over and over.

Keiichiro just smiled. "It's ok. It's ok," he assured her.

Suddenly a male voice rang through out the café. "Pudding? Are you here?"

Pudding's head shot up. "Daddy, na no da?" She looked up at Keiichiro. Keiichiro nodded.

"Go."

She bounded toward the front of the café. He heard the father and daughter reunite. Keiichiro smiled as he heard the pair leave the café. "Merry Christmas," he whispered. "Merry Christmas."

---

**I hope you enjoyed my TMM version of the Christmas Shoes. I thought of this after thinking very hard of ideas for a Christmas themed IchigoXRyou story. I've had no avail to find an idea for a IXR fic, but I got this out of it didn't I? Have a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays as well.**


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